The Vikings are dealing with a hit to their linebacker room, and Kevin O’Connell didn’t hide how much Jamal Adams’ injury stings.
“You’re just crushed for him. The role that he was kind of paving for himself, and then just having a personality and experienced toughness that he brought in such a short amount of time. We’re going to miss him…”
O’Connell added that Minnesota will have to lean on others now, but he made clear Adams still has the team’s support.
“We’re going to need to see some guys here to step up. But what I told Jamal is our organization, we’ve got our arms around him.
And he’s a part of this thing. But you absolutely hate to see that.”
Elsewhere in the division, the Bears got a scare in practice when running back Kyle Monangai suffered an apparent right knee injury after being tackled on Sunday. Adam Hoge reported that no cart was needed, though Monangai was walking very gingerly.
In Green Bay, Matt LaFleur said the Packers’ decision to release quarterback Kyron Drones came down to the numbers. He also praised Kyle McCord for what he showed in camp.
“I thought Kyle (McCord) went in there and did a really nice job. There are limited reps in every practice & it’s truly hard to get four guys ready to play football.”
LaFleur also said running back Josh Jacobs, who is dealing with a groin injury, could potentially return later in the week.
Over in Detroit, Dan Campbell said he isn’t surprised the Seahawks are taking a chance on cornerback Terrion Arnold despite the legal issues.
“I have no ill will whatsoever towards Terrion. I wish him the best. And I wish everything and everyone the best in that whole situation.”
Back in Minnesota, Alec Lewis of The Athletic took a close look at the Vikings’ camp trends, and the rookie class is making noise early. First-round defensive end Caleb Banks has been working in with the starters, while second-round linebacker Jake Golday tipped a pass and is drawing comparisons to outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.
Lewis also pointed to fifth-round cornerback Charles Demmings, who broke up a pass while covering Justin Jefferson, and third-round safety Jakobe Thomas, who is showing up “in all areas” of Brian Flores’ defense.
Second-year tight end Gavin Bartholomew has also put himself on the radar after showing “pass-catching reliability” in the first week of camp and pushing for a back-end roster spot. Third-year defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez has been appearing with the starters when Minnesota uses a five-man front.
On the other side of the ledger, Lewis identified third-year cornerback Dwight McGlothern Jr. as a player who only saw a “few snaps” with the team’s top group, calling his path to the active roster an “uphill climb.”
Lewis also flagged Minnesota’s edge-rushing depth as a concern, with undrafted players Bo Richter, Chaz Chambliss and Tyler Batty trying to carve out bigger roles. In his view, it would make sense for the Vikings to add more veteran pass rush help.
And at linebacker, Ivan Pace Jr. drew a note for his “lack of reliability in coverage.”
In Other News...
Vikings Roster Battle Suddenly Centers On Two Crucial Defensive Spots
With the first preseason game in the books and final cutdown day drawing close, the Vikings are moving into the part of camp where the margins get thin and every projection starts to feel more fragile. An AI-generated 53-man roster aligned reasonably well with the offensive side of the picture, but it was on defense where the matchups and depth chart guesses began to drift from what has actually been unfolding in training camp.
Two areas stand out most as the roster picture comes into focus: rookie defensive tackle Caleb Banks and the collection of outside linebackers trying to earn their place. Nothing is official yet, and every version of the roster still carries a speculative edge, but the defense appears to be where the Vikings have the most to sort through before the final decisions are made. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Suddenly Need A Veteran Safety Before Week 1
Jamal Adams season-ending quadriceps tendon injury in the preseason left Minnesota searching for a veteran answer at safety with Week 1 closing in. The loss changes the look of the back end in a hurry, and it puts the front office in position to weigh both immediate depth and how much it wants to spend to stabilize a spot that was suddenly shaken up.
One speculative idea making the rounds would send the Vikings after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin, with the move built around a late draft pick in 2027. It is only a proposal for now, not something confirmed by either team, but it reflects the reality Minnesota is facing: the need is real, the timing is urgent, and the options may not be as plentiful as they were just a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings May Already Have Their Answer To The Jonathan Greenard Risk
The Vikings knew they were making a longer view move when they sent Jonathan Greenard to Philadelphia during the draft and brought back two third-round picks, a deal that was always about more than the immediate depth chart. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski made clear the trade was tied to economic and organizational considerations, even if it did not figure to make Minnesota better right away.
What has given the Vikings some early comfort is the way Dallas Turner has looked in training camp and the preseason, giving them a young edge presence who could help soften the loss of Greenard. The idea was always to absorb some short-term risk for a broader payoff, and Turners development is already making that bet look a little less daunting. [Read more 🡒]